Interracial Dating And Marriage

[rachael]

What are the Church's thoughts on interracial dating and/or marriage? Is it supported or not?

[kateri05]

since the church is against racism in all forms, and as Christians we believe in equality before Christ, i can't imagine interracial dating would be a problem.

interfaith dating, of course, is a bit more complicated

[rachael]

Well, I was just wondering because I read a thread on it from a while back and there seemed to be a little debate about it....which shocked me a bit.

[Aloysius]

what thread? do you have a link?

at one point in phorum history a group of people from a racist board came over and debated... perhaps this thread was from that time?

[ardillacid]

Everyone's a little bit racist
Sometimes.
Doesn't mean we go
Around committing hate crimes.
Look around and you will find
No one's really color blind.
Maybe it's a fact
We all should face
Everyone makes judgments
Based on race.

Everyone's a little bit racist
Today.
So, everyone's a little bit racist
Okay!
Ethinic jokes might be uncouth,
But you laugh because
They're based on truth.
Don't take them as
Personal attacks.
Everyone enjoys them -
So relax!

If we all could just admit
That we are racist a little bit,
Even though we all know
That it's wrong,
Maybe it would help us
Get along.

Everyone's a little bit racist
It's true.
But everyone is just about
As racist as you!
If we all could just admit
That we are racist a little bit,
And everyone stopped being
So PC
Maybe we could live in -
Harmony!

[Maggyie]

Now where have I heard that song before.

[T-Bone _]

Interracial dating/marriage does have it's problems--not only intolerance from others, but there is a possible cultural difference. But if two people truly love one another, these things can be overcome.

[ardillacid]

[quote]Now where have I heard that song before.[/quote]

My opinion of you just went up several notches.

Edited September 10, 2007 by notardillacid

[Mateo el Feo]

The Church does frown upon "mixed marriages." But, it's use of the term is related to religious differences, not racial ones.

[cathoholic_anonymous]

Providing that the spouses are respectful of each other's cultures, I don't see why it would be a problem. Often the extended family creates the trouble by getting upset that their son/daughter hasn't chosen someone from 'their' culture. My parents once thought (mistakenly) that I was very interested in my best friend's brother, a Pakistani. Now, they've lived in the Middle East for half their lives and have friends of practically every nationality going, but the thought of acquiring a horde of Pakistani in-laws was too much for them to take. My mum said to me, "They're a lovely family, but we don't have much in common with them on that level. Can you see me learning to cook Pakistani food or studying Urdu?"

It took me a while to persuade them that they wouldn't have to enrol in any language schools quite yet. Even though they had nothing serious to worry about, it's an example of how cagey the family can get over these things.

This isn't a reason not to intermarry (I'm all for it) but it's a practical consideration that needs to be taken into account.

[adt6247]

[quote name='Cathoholic Anonymous' post='1382448' date='Sep 10 2007, 07:19 AM']Providing that the spouses are respectful of each other's cultures, I don't see why it would be a problem.[/quote]
It's not just respectfulness of culture; there are real cultural differences that can cause serious misunderstanding. I think people tend to de-emphasize the importance of culture nowadays, particularly in the US.

On the other hand, if two people of different ethnic backgrounds come from families that have been in the US for a few generations, and raised in the same region, there's likely to be few cultural differences.

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='adt6247' post='1382455' date='Sep 10 2007, 12:42 PM']It's not just respectfulness of culture; there are real cultural differences that can cause serious misunderstanding. I think people tend to de-emphasize the importance of culture nowadays, particularly in the US.[/quote]

Quite true. And that can definitely cause a bit of friction, or worse. But like you said, different ethnicity doesn't make as much of a difference (culturally speaking) in families that have lived in the same culture for a few generations.

[rachael]

I feel stupid.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='adt6247' post='1382455' date='Sep 10 2007, 06:42 AM']It's not just respectfulness of culture; there are real cultural differences that can cause serious misunderstanding. I think people tend to de-emphasize the importance of culture nowadays, particularly in the US.

On the other hand, if two people of different ethnic backgrounds come from families that have been in the US for a few generations, and raised in the same region, there's likely to be few cultural differences.[/quote]
Quite true. I know someone (American) who had a baby with her boyfriend (Ghana-an (?) ) and she has run into many, many differences between cultures that she was not expecting with regard to fatherhood, marriage expectations, etc. She was even familiar with the culture.

[desertwoman]

I was good friends with this guy, and he told me that he would marry me.... if I wasn't black.